Hallandale Beach Blog - A common sense public policy overview offering a critical perspective on the current events, politics, govt., public policy, sports scene and pop culture of the U.S., South Florida and Europe, especially the UK and Sweden.

Remembering Muhammad Ali thru the prism of an avid, teenage sports fan in 1970's South Florida. To me, for so many reasons, Ali truly was "The Greatest"

This has been a very sad day for me that I've been dreading for a very long time.

Since at least the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, when Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic Torch, and so many Americans who hadn't thought of him or seen him in years, suddenly saw how Parkinson's Disease had begun to rob us of a transcendent and uniquely American personality who was both the source of so many shared joyful moments, as well as the subject of so many heated political arguments over kitchen tables and airwaves from coast-to-coast for years.

Growing-up in South Florida in the 1970's, because of my interests and personality, I was fortunate enough through circumstance and by taking full advantage of opportunities I created to be able to talk fairly regularly to South Florida sports reporters and columnists of the era, many of whom spoke to and interviewed Muhammad Ali regularly whenever he was in Miami, especially those times when he was training at the Fifth Street Gym on South Beach, which was later named for another native of Kentucky who left her positive mark on Miami, Elizabeth Virrick.

A 1982 photo of Elizabeth Virrick and Muhammad Ali in a gym named in her honor.

(As some of you readers know, I've long thought that Roy Firestone was a genius, but then, I'm biased on that score. I first met Roy when I was a twelve-year old kid in 1973 at the Bob Griese-Karl Noonan boys summer sports camp in Boca Raton, the first of my three summers there, when Roy was one of my camp counselors while still attending theUniversity of Miami, later becoming a friend and common sense sounding-board of sorts.

Roy is someone I've long been planned on writing about here on the blog, with several great anecdotes including a few of the "Only in Miami" sort that South Florida residents can especially appreciate! Roy is also the first person to ever explain to me what makes the the film The African Queen magical, before I saw it for the first time more than forty years ago in Boca Raton.

Years later, when he was doing the Noon and Weekend sports at Miami's WPLG-TV, the ABC-TV affiliate in South Florida, before he left for LA, when it came time for me to consider where to go to college, Royurged me to go toSyracuseinstead ofIndiana University, where I eventually went, or USC, which I had always planned on attending all throughout my days at North Miami Beach Senior High School. That is, until Christmas of my senior year, when the reality of the gap in money needed for making that trip across the country to USC and my dreams of living and networking in LA, an unreachable goal. :-(

Roy suggested Syracuse in part due to the growing prestige and dynamism being attached to what was going on at the Newhouse School of Communications there, which in 1979, was before many of the more-recent but well-known grads there were actually attending. Perhaps if I'd gone there, I'd personally know all the very annoyingSyracuse grads we all see atESPNand the nets, the ones who always want to tell you about how they used to make audition tapes when they were kids. Yes, we know, we know!)

What those journalists shared with me always stayed with me over the years, but I often was able to tell them a thing or two that they didn't know or were unwilling or unable to publicly acknowledge about the reality of the South Florida we lived in, as well as share Ali anecdotes that ABC Sports TV sportscaster Howard Cosell had written about in his own books, which I'd read over-and-over so much that I could practically quote entire paragraphs, to the eternal frustration of my friends and family. (Cosell's account of his times is still great books to read, all these years later.)

But then for people my age, it was hard to think of Muhammad Ali without also immediately thinking of Howard Cosell, the most popular TV sportscaster of his era, to the chagrin of many print reporters and his detractors, but the one person that well-informed sports fans like me could always count on to have the ability to make an #event a #happening -and later tell you why.

I still recall how over-the-top and angry the Miami supporters of the Nation of Islam (NOI) were regularly portrayed by the South Florida news media -esp. Miami TV stations- in ways that would

be considered completely unacceptable now, even if what they reported then was factually true.

There'd be lots more use of "allegedly"!

It seems like a couple of times a year I'd hear my Dad, a longtime Dade County police officer, say something to the fact that they'd heard some rumors about the NOI Mosque on 7th Avenue & 53rd Street -the Mosque that Ali worshipped at when in Miami- and it was seldom something positive.

Though the powers-that-be in Miami may well deny it now, the truth is that there was always LOTS of concern among the Police and the Miami Establishment of the time that something bad would happen to Ali whenever he was in Miami, due to the myriad NOI personality/turf/power wars, which were generally acknowledged by people who knew the facts, though NOT for public attribution, of course.

My understanding was that very possibility, however remote it may seem now to us from a distance, really ate at some people within Metro Police who had to think about such things, and be prepared to deal with it. As if that were even possible.

Given Miami's unique and unfortunate history with riots, and its multi-ethnic populace's complete willingness to take to the street at the drop of a hat without waiting for all the facts to come in on a situation, something I have been witness to myself, you can well understand why that was a concern.

There were also always plenty of rumors sprinkled with facts about the NOI's involvement with organized crime, their curious easy access to weapons, as well as concern about how frequently NOI members in South Florida seemed to manage to get out of trouble at the last minute, just like in a film, where the audience always knows something the Police don't.

There were, therefore, concerns about possible "leaks" within Metro Police, which were not nearly as unfounded as you might imagine, given the facts-on-the-ground at the time.

In 1975, when I was in Eighth Grade at JFK Junior High in North Miami Beach, one Spring night, just a few months after the Sports Illustrated cover above, I was surprised to receive a Dade County (Junior High) Track & Field Championships ribbon -Second place- from Muhammad Aliat a Dade County Schools sports award ceremony in downtown Miami, where Ali's appearance came as a complete thunderbolt to everyone -especially the kids!

And my Dad, who drove me there.

People were, quite literally, in hushed tones in that small auditorium all night, anxious that they would not miss anything Ali said or did, and it will probably not surprise you to learn that the number of the people in the auditorium only increased at the night went on, as word about who was there, in-the-flesh, continued to circulate.

Pre Cell phone, pre-Twitter.

Trust me, if I'd known in advance that Muhammad Ali would be there, me being me, I'd have made plans to have LOTS of photos of that moment!

Even if by now they were largely faded Polaroids!

Every year in August on my way to the Cream and Crimson of IU in Bloomington, I'd drive and drive and drive by myself from Miami north to the Midwest, but no matter how much I knew to expect it, every time I first saw the highway signs letting me know that I'd soon be near Muhammad Ali Boulevard in Louisville, it always caught me by surprise.

I'd immediately think back to that surprising and amazing moment in 1975 when I met him in person for the first time, and shook his hand.

Calm when I did it, but slightly abuzz once back in my seat.

Just like all the other kids there, but probably the only one there who, pre-VCR, could name whom Ali had fought and where going back for several years, since retaining information and trivia of that sort was seemingly hard-wired into my brain.

IF your company, business or firm's Consumer, B-2-B, or Institutional advertisement was already here at #HallandaleBeachBlog, your message would ALREADY be getting seen AND noticed every month by tens of thousands of upscale, well-informed, well-educated consumers, politicians, and business owners, inc. LOTS of high-quality, trusted taste-makers, influencers and members of the news media in South Florida and throughout Florida. And, be SEEN AND NOTICED by South Florida's most-read and influential bloggers and #SocialMedia personalities.
Sophisticated, quality-conscious and keyboard-articulate people whose informed opinions/preferences have a great deal of magnifying power online. Readers of the blog and Followers of my popular Twitter feed who are not just quick to share what they know or think with others via Social Media about news, ideas and their points of view, but who will also share their views with their large audiences about the positive customer/client experiences they have with you. Because nothing succeeds like a quality product or service that comes with quality customer service!
And at prices starting at just $90 a month.
Owing to my interests and knowledge, there's a good reason that my popular Twitter feed regularly gets tagged by influential Swedish and Scandinavian companies/businesses, and Biz & media personalities -like the Swedish Consulate in New York, which promotes Sweden in trade, investment, cultural and consular affairs- as well as is tagged regularly by South Florida's #1 #RealEstate reporter: RESULTS.
They all know that what they share with me -and what I share with them- gets SEEN AND NOTICED by people whose opinion matters. Brian Bandell of the South Florida Business Journal knows from experience that I not only know what's REALLY going on below-the-radar in the area, but they also know that I can add something new and compelling to the story or idea. Original content that in turn WILL be seen by those very same influencers, pols and businesses and be commented-upon, and becoming part of the ongoing public policy agenda and narrative! Yes, just like your company's ad in this space will not just be seen but NOTICED! For 2018, I'm averaging between 25,000 and 30,000 individual page views a month.#results!

Well, if something is going to be there w/that large a footprint -esp. cars on already #FDOT F-rated #HallandaleBeach Blvd., part of why @Browardinfo nixed an even larger un-related plan there yrs ago- it's a plus that a firm like @SLSHotels, w/v good rep, is running it. ��️����⛳️

���� folk sensation First Aid Kit are playing twice at Brooklyn Steel this week Sept 11-12 �������� The first night is already sold out - but there's still time to secure a spot for their second show. Don't miss out! ��⏳

I'm interested to see what you think. Two developers proposed zero payment for the land. What will the city prioritize, the most money possible from a real estate transaction, or a project that will generate the most economic activity or community benefit?

Jag älskar Stockholm - ST❤️CKHOLM

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, June 2010

My Twitter header currently features my June 2010 screenshot of Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria moments after her wedding in Stockholm. Her smile = amazing, priceless! Should have posted it years ago!

People died at #stonemandouglas b/c school failed to implement a simple security measure that had been recommended twice to teachers & administrators, according to testimony Wednesday. https://t.co/7HFUYC5Z6z

Some BSO deputies couldn’t remember the last time they attended mass-shooter training. Others couldn’t recall what they’d learned when they did attend, investigators reviewing the #stonemandouglas school shooting found. https://t.co/fgqRDM9NlD

MSD Commission member @maxschachter, whose son Alex died at #StonemanDouglas, criticized BSO's command & communication failures. "We had these same command & control problems at the airport [shooting] in 2017. I don’t see why it wasn’t corrected."

Lauren Book said she's heard teachers are afraid to voice complaints due to retribution. "Retribution is something we don't tolerate in district. If people are doing their job, they shouldn't have concerns about that," Runcie said.

What a country of despicable cowards Britain has become. As the eminent @Ayaan so correctly points out, what is the point of an asylum system if the woman most in need of it is denied protection? https://t.co/Tcj1GHkIf3

Yes, as I've said many times to #Broward/#DC friends, despite disagreeing w/him on policy issues. Like great old campaigns signs I've seen -outside of #FL!- Canova is "a voice, not an echo." #DWS is the annoying echo in yr head that U can't get rid of. @Buddynevins@crespogram

Go back in time with the Florida Stories app! Launched by the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, the interactive walking tour app will showcase archival photos, architectural renderings and audio histories for 12 locations. https://t.co/sfVh0fWe6G

Makes me wonder what happens when #Wynwood runs out of "genuine" ambiance/atmosphere and everything there feels even more homogenized and/or focus-grouped-to-death than already often seems case. @BillyCorben

Mikaela, my favorite and the most literary and "Big Thinker" of the 3 fabulous Akerman sisters - Malin, Jennifer & Mikaela- also knows how to make a snapshot just pop off the page! Heja Sverige! And Mikaela still writes her wonderful poems and essays with -yes- a typewriter! She is adorable in every possible way! :-)

1/ As usual, I agree w/@CGreenbarg: "Both the #Broward#Schools Auditor and I brought evidence of fraud by a politically connected firm. Reply? “That’s how Broward Schools does business.“ Only an honest outsider could bring reform to a corrupt county." @Colleen_Wright@smtravis

Want to meet other Nordic (minded) people? Head over to the Nordic After Work Social at Hudson Bar in Hudson NYC on Wednesday Oct 17, 6 PM, hosted by our friends at @NordicHouseNY. Come and bring your friends!

Our super-talented singing pal, Cissi Nilsson, continued to keep it real -with style- while on vacation this summer in #Styrsö, on west coast of #Sweden. :-) I can't wait to see Cissi in-person in #STHLM in early 2019, to make up for my postponed trip to Sweden and Iceland this past January, which I was so looking forward to enjoying, and bringing along my favorite human being so that she could see why I LOVE those two places so very much.

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